Thursday's letters: Separatism

Published: Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 6:36 p.m.

To the editor: It was Spirit Week at East High, and the days were themed to build spirit and excitement before the homecoming game. However, one of the theme days did little to promote unity and in fact encouraged stereotypes and exclusion.

What message does ďMathlete vs. AthleteĒ send to the students? Promoting the stereotype that someone who is intelligent cannot be athletic is absurd.

This sends a message that asks students to choose if they want to succeed in the classroom or on the field or court.

In a time when bullying is so prominent, Iím appalled that schools would feel comfortable encouraging students to be pitted against one another. I understand that students often suggest these activities; however, itís the staffís responsibility to maintain a safe space.

Although this was only a Spirit Day, a strong message of separatism is sent to students who may not know the difference! It has the potential to make athletes feel they canít be successful academically, while making students who thrive in the classroom feel as if they canít succeed outside of it.

Why are we creating an environment that asks students to choose between the two instead of embracing all student interests?

Becki Jalernpan

Flat Rock

Election overkill

To the editor: I canít possibly be the only one whoís sick to death of the incessant campaigning and years of nonstop talking to raise money for the next election.

Itís no wonder the country is in a mess, and both parties are to blame. If they spent that time talking with and not blaming each other, maybe somebody could get actual work done.

Wouldnít three or six months be more than enough time to campaign? Other countries manage to do so ó why canít we? Wouldnít one term of six years be enough for presidents? Then they could do their jobs without wasting precious time running for re-election.

To put it very simply, Congress (and lobbyists) make the laws, presidents enforce them, and the Supreme Court interprets them. Why does the blame for whatever goes wrong in the country and the world rest on one person who does not get elected by all voters? Just because one presidential candidate gets most of the votes doesnít mean he or she will get to be president!

By the time West Coast polls close, we already know who the new president will be, thanks to a few deciding states. Does that even make sense?

Ines Illgen

Hendersonville

Free choice

To the editor: In the Roe v. Wade decision of 1972, women were given the constitutional right to make decisions about their own bodies. Always a difficult decision, abortion is a matter of deeply personal free choice.

There are those in todayís Republican Party who want to end that freedom with no exceptions.

Paul Ryan, Republican candidate for vice president, his House cohorts and the wannabe, Mark Meadows, would ban all abortions, even in cases of rape and incest. To force a woman to bear a child conceived by rape is cruel and inhumane as well as a loss of her freedom.

Rape can and does cause pregnancy. As a man, I cannot begin to imagine the trauma, physical and psychological, of rape ó let alone being forced to carry a rapistís child to term. However, as a man, I can speculate how a man whose wife or teenage daughter is pregnant due to rape might feel. How many men would be willing to provide for the birth and rearing of that child? How many men would forget the violence, the pain, and welcome the child as their own?

<p>To the editor: It was Spirit Week at East High, and the days were themed to build spirit and excitement before the homecoming game. However, one of the theme days did little to promote unity and in fact encouraged stereotypes and exclusion.</p><p>What message does Mathlete vs. Athlete send to the students? Promoting the stereotype that someone who is intelligent cannot be athletic is absurd.</p><p>This sends a message that asks students to choose if they want to succeed in the classroom or on the field or court.</p><p>In a time when bullying is so prominent, I’m appalled that schools would feel comfortable encouraging students to be pitted against one another. I understand that students often suggest these activities; however, it’s the staff’s responsibility to maintain a safe space.</p><p>Although this was only a Spirit Day, a strong message of separatism is sent to students who may not know the difference! It has the potential to make athletes feel they can’t be successful academically, while making students who thrive in the classroom feel as if they can’t succeed outside of it.</p><p>Why are we creating an environment that asks students to choose between the two instead of embracing all student interests?</p><p><em>Becki Jalernpan</em></p><p><em>Flat Rock</em></p><h3>Election overkill</h3>
<p>To the editor: I can’t possibly be the only one who’s sick to death of the incessant campaigning and years of nonstop talking to raise money for the next election.</p><p>It’s no wonder the country is in a mess, and both parties are to blame. If they spent that time talking with and not blaming each other, maybe somebody could get actual work done.</p><p>Wouldn’t three or six months be more than enough time to campaign? Other countries manage to do so  why can’t we? Wouldn’t one term of six years be enough for presidents? Then they could do their jobs without wasting precious time running for re-election.</p><p>To put it very simply, Congress (and lobbyists) make the laws, presidents enforce them, and the Supreme Court interprets them. Why does the blame for whatever goes wrong in the country and the world rest on one person who does not get elected by all voters? Just because one presidential candidate gets most of the votes doesn’t mean he or she will get to be president!</p><p>By the time West Coast polls close, we already know who the new president will be, thanks to a few deciding states. Does that even make sense?</p><p><em>Ines Illgen</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p><h3>Free choice</h3>
<p>To the editor: In the Roe v. Wade decision of 1972, women were given the constitutional right to make decisions about their own bodies. Always a difficult decision, abortion is a matter of deeply personal free choice.</p><p>There are those in today’s Republican Party who want to end that freedom with no exceptions.</p><p>Paul Ryan, Republican candidate for vice president, his House cohorts and the wannabe, Mark Meadows, would ban all abortions, even in cases of rape and incest. To force a woman to bear a child conceived by rape is cruel and inhumane as well as a loss of her freedom.</p><p>Rape can and does cause pregnancy. As a man, I cannot begin to imagine the trauma, physical and psychological, of rape  let alone being forced to carry a rapist’s child to term. However, as a man, I can speculate how a man whose wife or teenage daughter is pregnant due to rape might feel. How many men would be willing to provide for the birth and rearing of that child? How many men would forget the violence, the pain, and welcome the child as their own?</p><p>I am just wondering, but I think I know the answers.</p><p><em>Doug Freeman</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p>